Showcasing landscapes and cultural attractions and offering carefully tailored travel packages, travel agencies were actively promoting cross-Straits sightseeing at the Taipei Tourism Expo, though the COVID-19 epidemic is holding back their business.

The mainland-based Association for Tourism Exchange Across the Taiwan Straits hosted a 135-square-meter pavilion at the Taipei Tourism Expo, which opened on August 29 and lasted for four days.

Visitors were provided detailed tourism information including brochures of tailored sightseeing routes and city tours as well as the latest travel guides and promotional packages from mainland airlines.

"Although people in Taiwan  cannot visit the mainland as easily as before the COVID-19 epidemic due to quarantine measures, we would like them to have a taste of the mainland's charm at the expo. When they can travel as the epidemic eases, the mainland will be their first choice," said Ren Jiayan, director of the association's Taipei office.

Compared with tourists from other parts of the world, Taiwan tourists are more familiar with the mainland, particularly the more developed eastern region, Ren said, adding that the association and travel agencies are now showcasing tourist sites in the northwest and southwest, such as Xinjiang, Tibet and Sichuan.

Several local travel agencies have joined the association to promote their mainland travel packages at the expo.

Golden Team Travel has offered travel packages to 55 world heritage sites on the mainland over the past few years.

"Some young people in Taiwan have stereotypes about the mainland. Many of them never visit or have only been to Beijing and Shanghai. We consider them potential customers," said Eric Wei, assistant manager with the travel agency. "They think the mainland is so similar to Taiwan that it is not worth visiting, but we will show them how diverse the mainland is."

Although cross-Straits travel was halted by the COVID-19 epidemic, the company continued marketing via social media and has received positive feedback, Wei said.

Taipei-based Yang Tze International Travel Service has worked with more than 20 mainland travel agencies to organize bicycle tour packages on the mainland.

"There are many bike lovers in Taiwan and they have tried almost all cycle routes on the island," said Edwina Wan, the agency's president. "With its diverse landscapes, the mainland will be a treasure for them to explore."

The travel agency has worked out five to six cycle routes across the mainland over the past two years.

"Despite the epidemic, we are marketing the bicycle tour packages as planned. I have great confidence in the mainland market," Wan added.